Please have a look at my Irish Gift website designs

barricades

New Member
Hey there, I'm holding a contest to redesign my website www.traditionalirishgifts.com

I've a bunch of entries in and I'd really like some constructive opinions on what looks best and what works best.

I should point out that the designers haven't been completely sticking to the brief and there should be 6 Guinness related categories (and images) plus another 16 Categories (and images) which I'll need to add in when I've chosen the style.

I want the site to look like it's been professionally designed and not just some dopey website thrown together by someone in the back office of a dodgy gift store who's attempting to learn some html

If possible please put yourself in the position of someone who is looking to buy either some Guinness related merchandise, an Irishy novelty gift or some fancy Aran sweater and please give me your critique of the following.

http://www.traditionalirishgifts.com/designcontest.php
 

hingry556

New Member
I like the design of your website. I think that the colors and layout really convey the irish look that you are going for. Here are two points that I would change.

1. I would remove the -> in the categories menu. I do not think they look professional.
2. I would show less content on the homepage. It is overwhelming, the amount of products that you show..too much to digest at once. Maybe you can break down your products into more general categories, or just show some of the categories on the homepage.
 

Phreaddee

Super Moderator
Staff member
1 boring too blocky
2 OK, header needs to be reconfigured
3 dont like the wood, it looks dated already.
4 crapola - not a designer
5 bad green on green contrast, no main definition.
6 laid out OK, header tidy and readable. good call to action. pick of the bunch so far.
7 nope, just doesnt work.
8 has potential, but about 70% currently
9 looks dated
10 isnt bad but the last box sitting on its own really throws it off. 16 categories or 20, but not 17. thats just crazy!
11 boring as shit
12 also has potential, but the yellow is a bit off-putting.
13 is 8?

so discounting 13 which is 8

the shortlist for me would be 2, 6, 8, 10 + 12

of that it was really only 6 that stood out to me.
 

Phreaddee

Super Moderator
Staff member
hingry actually raises a very valid point (#2).
Streamlining your category tree will make it easier for users to digest, and actually make it easier for them to find what they are after, which will result in greater sales.
the masses of categories in all the mockups were precisely the things that turned me off. the ones I liked all had big call to actions. big text lists of categories are also very ugly.

visual pop > 3 clicks > sale.
 

barricades

New Member
Thanks for the feedbck so far -

@phreadee - I get what you guys are saying, I suppose I just can't figure out whats the best way to categorise everything.

Any suggestions anyone?
 

Impala Networks

New Member
Personally, I'd definitely go with either 2, 10, or 12.

Of those three, from a design perspective, I'm not sure it matters too much. My own choice would be #2. It's very modern, light colors (which is very popular) smooth edges, and in general it seems to illustrate what I envision when thinking about an Irish eCommerce site.

The others either appear to outdated (which is a pretty nasty problem since they're proposals for a NEW design), too blocky, too boring, too strong of colors, etc.

So, not that you care - but I'm a professional web designer - been doing this a while. I'd go with 2.

Good luck.
Ben Mortensen
Impala Networks
www.farmingtonwebdesign.net
 

benjamin.morgan

New Member
I like #2 and #10, Personally I would go with 2 because it looks fresh, isn't overwhelming with content. Very simple and clean look. Effective use of gradients as well.
 

jump74

New Member
Hey there, I'm holding a contest to redesign my website www.traditionalirishgifts.com

I've a bunch of entries in and I'd really like some constructive opinions on what looks best and what works best.

I should point out that the designers haven't been completely sticking to the brief and there should be 6 Guinness related categories (and images) plus another 16 Categories (and images) which I'll need to add in when I've chosen the style.

I want the site to look like it's been professionally designed and not just some dopey website thrown together by someone in the back office of a dodgy gift store who's attempting to learn some html

If possible please put yourself in the position of someone who is looking to buy either some Guinness related merchandise, an Irishy novelty gift or some fancy Aran sweater and please give me your critique of the following.

http://www.traditionalirishgifts.com/designcontest.php

Excuse-me for my question (I am french) why you don't use Prestashop cms for the shop part?
 

barricades

New Member
I'm very fond of zen-cart actually. I've been using it for years now and it's easily my favourite of all the software I've tried. Haven't tried presta shop right enough.

What do you think of the layouts? In the second link in my first post?

Bonsoir mon ami :) Vive la France. Vive la revolution!
 

jump74

New Member
Bravo pour le Français "Barricades" You speak very well!
I like Ireland. I was lucky to visit a little Dublin (thanks to a small professional training).

We really like your new Design of your online shop : It is brilliant.
You can perhaps put a video of presentation of your city or manufacturing of one of the products or propose the natural products especially if it have a quality label, an official label of origin, or of green economy label (especially if you sell to nonIrish).

cheer for your future presentation.

Please, can you help Benjamin by giving an opinion on his logo?
http://www.webdesignforum.com/18211-how-can-i-improve-logo.html

And Please, can you give an opinion on our work?

http://resolution-web-mobile.jkastafiore.com
http://www.webdesignforum.com/18339-new-business-my-new-job-2.html#post76466

I would like to create my own job (because here i don't find)
Thank you very much for your answers and perhaps the price of work if you wanted to buy the pack (2 sites, shop, facebook fan page…)

your shop : Very good presentation
Yours Sincerely,
Jean-Paul
 
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jump74

New Member
Merci Jean-Paul

I'll have a look at those links.

My shop: Was there a particular design you favoured? I think you may have visited the wrong link, did you see: http://www.traditionalirishgifts.com/designcontest.php

We prefer the first because it was typified, different with one can of Irish charm.
Second is standard, already considering, the site loses of its identity

You can perhaps put in the first stars of the preferences users the reviews
thus you have the look of the 1st project with the technology of the second project.
One must see without reading that it is a site of Irish products. It is necessary that you have an identity (a trademark) and to create the difference.

Especially that you, you are in Ireland. It is not the case of the other shops.


here sites in Google research, look the designs:
One copy of site (same design of your second project ) : http://www.irishshop.com/

http://www.theirishshop-online.com/
http://www.shopirish.com/

with search : "irish shop online" in google
You are in middle of the page of google

with search :"irish gifts" OK YOU ARE in second position
but with your second project where is is the difference in look with
http://www.carrollsirishgifts.com/

Please, Please, create a domain name
traditional-irish-gifts-shop.com
google search in first :
1) in the domain name the words between each - and not with _ or not "traditionalirish...." and check with the tiltle and the descripton metas
2) in title and description metas

you can create a redirection traditional-irish-gifts-shop -> tradictionalirishgifts

the result in perf : 63/100
http://www.webpagetest.org/result/120513_1K_8Y4/

PLEASE OPTIMIZE your site in your new project: Google DOESN'T LIKE SITE with 10,00s in load or 63/100 -> middle page in search
if you need, i can help you after you are selected your design


the result in SEO :
http://www.woorank.com/fr/www/traditionalirishgifts.com

Good result but where is the sitemap file and ip canonique

Did you check with google analytics and adwords the quality of your words in the site? it is very important. (even without making paying publicity).

After all that but not front, conduct to you a SEO and a small publicity campaign: I will be able to help you because I already passed by there.

After it lacks to integrate in the site a bar of translation (google tool) or to create a site in Spanish or French (2th official language, 3th official language of the world: French cannot read English).

because if i search a product (me, french with bad english), i search :
irish shop / maybe irish shop on line / BUT NOT : irish gifts (what is it gift!!)

J'espère très très sincèrement que cela t'aide.

Thank-you for your opinions in others projects.
Jean-Paul
NOTA : on my site of demonstration, I already completed the research task of the principal words with Adwords and Analytics. But I did not complete the work of SEO => in wookrank I have only 24/100. I WAIT TEH RESULTS OF OPINIONS.
but the flash site has 99/100 in perf webpagetest.org
 
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jump74

New Member
Merci Jean-Paul

I'll have a look at those links.

My shop: Was there a particular design you favoured? I think you may have visited the wrong link, did you see: http://www.traditionalirishgifts.com/designcontest.php

Hello barricades,

J'espère que tu vas bien !

After having seen the performances of your current site (with webpagetest.og)
Here my method for my sites (I hope sincerely that that is useful for you)

1) install the system of minify-gzip and cache for php, css, js, static html
I think that in your shop cms, you have this system
OR
if you are in apache 2.2 : you can use Minify of google and module_page_speed (here it is a dynamic tool of optimization). I can help you for this installation
OR
for other apache (i am in apache 1.3)
I can ask me my tool ( it is a modifation of smartoptimizer with csstidy, minify google, html-minify google and cache+gzip: all are in php => result near same result of module_page_speed of google)

2) use module_expires an module_cache in .htaccess for ((in mini) your images your css your js (i can help you)

3) optimize without degradation the images ( I can help you for the first use):
3-1- resize the images in the real used size in your shop : maybe you can have 2 versions 1 in shop list , 1 in detail product OR resize for the maxi used size
-for jpg images : the good tool : Light image resizer http://www.obviousidea.com/ (if your jpg size is <=500*500 you can have 80% in quality, and no meta in divers)
- for png images with resize : Light image resizer and option Optimization OPtiPng in 7
- for fix gif : change in jpeg or png with Light image resizer

Nota : with png images : you can use only 255+1 colors check with gimp/image/mode/indexed
for my example the backgournd image of mobile site in rgb = 314ko, with the same quality result in 255+1 colors = 127ko

3-2 now optimize without degradation
use for jpg+gif+png : http://punypng.com/
use for png (only) : pngOptimizer : it is very good tool http://psydk.org/PngOptimizer.php

4) check the result with webpagetest.org or page_speed or yslow in firefox
5) optimize still if necessary the images
6) create an account in Webmaster Google, because after 100 calls of your site, you have very useful tool of performances (it is the reference for Google)

It is work but it is very good solution for a good result in Google
With this work you can easily arrive at 90-95% in perf. with first page load site <10s (your actual result): and it is always same work.


Very humbly
Jean-Paul
 
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jump74

New Member
Bonjour JP, oui ca va bien merci.

I'll need to go and have a good read and look through all the things you have said.

In the meantime, can you take a look at this and tell me whether the French is good enough:

Traditional Irish Gifts in French

Is it understandable?

Thanks!
David
We will look with my half (more business)

It is really necessary that you improve the performances of your future site because Google will become very severe for "certain" sites, look at
(excuse-me in French and English)
http://www.programmez.com/actualite...ne-nouvelle-fois-son-algorithme&id_actu=11465

http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35769#3

Yours Sincerely,
Jean-Paul
 

jump74

New Member
Bonjour JP, oui ca va bien merci.

I'll need to go and have a good read and look through all the things you have said.

In the meantime, can you take a look at this and tell me whether the French is good enough:

Traditional Irish Gifts in French

Is it understandable?

Thanks!
David

First result of automatic translation :
For this system with all tools, you need to write :
- simple and small sentence in good English version (because the translator knows the specific translation, specific sentence of country ex. Yours Sincerely,)
1adjectif+subject + verb + action
What time is it? Quelle heure est-il ?

Example :
At "Traditional Irish Gifts", we are here to help you.
=> « aux cadeaux irlandais traditionnels », nous sommes ici pour vous aider. => AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION OK

OR
At "Traditional Irish Gifts", we are there to help you.
=> « aux cadeaux irlandais traditionnels », nous sommes là pour vous aider. => AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION OK


Your solution :
- use , and NOT "AND"
- use , or ; to separate the different parts in each sentence.
- use capital letters ONLY for the beginning of sentence and the proper name.
- Check with http://dictionnaire.tv5.org/dictionnaire/anglais-francais/tie the basic value of the word
OR MAYBE BETTER for each sentence (before to write in the site)
with http://systran.fr or google translator

=> RESULT with this work when you use a translator API, you are sure of a result almost right. TODAY, it is not the real case.

AND with this work, you can use a automatic translator for all pages
It is BEST you speak french.
After,you can send your work to me, we will check and find the good sentence for the translator (BECAUSE OTHER SOLUTION, IN YOUR database you need for each sentence, a field of data for each language, NOT VERY EASY SOLUTION, OR A file of each language)

Yours Sincerely,
Jean-Paul




RESULTS:
Google :
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.traditionalirishgifts.com/&langpair=en|fr&ie=UTF8

systran.fr
http://www.systranet.fr/turl/?systr...cudHJhZGl0aW9uYWxpcmlzaGdpZnRzLmNvbS8vZW5fnI=
Online-translator :
http://www.online-translator.com/site_Translation.aspx
Bing :
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=en&to=fr&a=http://www.traditionalirishgifts.com/
Worldlingo :
http://www.worldlingo.com/SYls3jUpd...alirishgifts.com/&wl_srclang=EN&wl_trglang=FR

search
http://www.google.fr/search?q=trans...&rls=org.mozilla:fr:official&client=firefox-a
 
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jump74

New Member
Result of translation

Bonjour JP, oui ca va bien merci.

I'll need to go and have a good read and look through all the things you have said.

In the meantime, can you take a look at this and tell me whether the French is good enough:

Traditional Irish Gifts in French

Is it understandable?

Thanks!
David

Hello David

Excuse-me for my last message : It is perhaps a bit complicated.

In fact my method has 3 steps :
step 1 :
- use only sample and good English sentence.
- use "," and ";" to separate different parts of the sentence.
- use it is possible, to use "and" on a place from "&".
- use "." in the end of each sentence.

Step 2 :
With http://translate.google.fr/ or http://systran.fr or the best etensionl for firefox : www.tran 4.8
Translate each sentence (result step 1) in
ORIGINAL ENGLISH in my site -> result FRENCH.
result FRENCH -> New English version.

IF new english version is OK => YOU HAVE THE GOOD SENTENCE FOR YOUR ENGLISH SITE.

IF new version is bad, you need to change your ORIGINAL SENTENCE and repeat step 2.

STEP 3 :
modify the English site.
send me a message with links English and French.
I will send you the latest corrections.

With this method, all the automatic translators will work correctly: You will can let the automatic translator of Google and to create only one version of site (in English).

Examples with this method:
few minutes please David



When can we see your new final design?
Yours Sincerely,
Jean-Paul
 
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jump74

New Member
Good example with the last method and www.trans 4.8

Hello David

Excuse-me for my last message : It is perhaps a bit complicated.

In fact my method has 3 steps :
step 1 :
- use only sample and good English sentence.
- use "," and ";" to separate different parts of the sentence.
- use it is possible, to use "and" on a place from "&".
- use "." in the end of each sentence.

Step 2 :
With http://translate.google.fr/ or http://systran.fr or the best etensionl for firefox : www.tran 4.8
Translate each sentence (result step 1) in
ORIGINAL ENGLISH in my site -> result FRENCH.
result FRENCH -> New English version.

IF new english version is OK => YOU HAVE THE GOOD SENTENCE FOR YOUR ENGLISH SITE.

IF new version is bad, you need to change your ORIGINAL SENTENCE and repeat step 2.

STEP 3 :
modify the English site.
send me a message with links English and French.
I will send you the latest corrections.

With this method, all the automatic translators will work correctly: You will can let the automatic translator of Google and to create only one version of site (in English).

Examples with this method:
few minutes please David



When can we see your new final design?
Yours Sincerely,
Jean-Paul

Here the examples with www.trans 4.8
(it use Google, Bing, Pragm translators
I think : you need to test Bing and Pragm api in your automatic translation of your English site.)
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/
http://www.translate.ua/us/on-line
Maybe, you may need to change the font (or the color (light green?) for more visibility)


Guiness articles. (google)
Bushmills articles. (google) (Bushmills is it a mark?)
Mohair throws (google ! here without . in last)
Irish sculptures. (google ! with the ".")
Irish and Ulster Rugby Shirts. (google)
Dolls and teddy bears. (google)
Neck ties of Ireland. (google)
1 adjectif en français prend souvent le genre et le plurieur ex
Irish neck ties => cravates irlandaises
But with the automatic translator, we have bad translations =>
Neck ties of (or from?) Ireland => Cravates de l'Irlande => not very good BUT NOT BAD

Humbly
Jean-Paul
 
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reverseengineer

New Member
Couple things. From a buyer's perspective I like how you have it all cataloged on your home page. There are some loading issues and I would like to see maybe a sale or special offer to entice me further. You also need to fix your ordering page. Some have add to cart feature but many products do not. Instead I'm redirected to another page before I can order.
 
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